The last solar eclipse of the year is taking place on Sunday, September 21. This eclipse is a partial one and will be visible at 1:29 EDT in only some parts of the world, excluding India.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking some or all of the Sun's light from reaching Earth. During a partial solar eclipse, the Moon covers only part of the Sun, appearing as if a bite has been taken out of the Sun.
The partial solar eclipse will be visible in Antarctica, the Pacific Ocean, Australia and the Atlantic Ocean. This will be a partial solar eclipse covering 86 per cent of the sun. The coverage will decrease as one moves further east.
In New Zealand, the eclipse will be visible at sunrise, creating a crescent shape for people to enjoy. South Pacific Island nations like Tonga, Fiji and Samoa will see a smaller eclipse as compared to other areas.
Also read: Solar eclipse today, September 21: Surya Grahan time, how to watch and safety tips
Countries in Asia, Africa and America will miss it. People in India also will not be able to experience this phenomenon, as it will be post sunset in the country.
People will be able to see the first glimpse of this solar eclipse at 1:29 pm EDT (10:59 IST) Sunday, on September 21. At first, the moon will cover the upper right region of the sun's disk, after which the eclipse will get deeper. It will become visible to vast regions of the Pacific Ocean, including New Zealand and smaller islands.
The maximum eclipse will occur at 3:41 pm EDT (1:11 am IST) when most of the sun will be covered by the moon.
Also read: Partial solar eclipse today: Will it be visible in the US? Here's what to know
According to NASA, this partial solar eclipse will fall a day before the autumnal equinox scheduled on September 22. The autumnal equinox marks the beginning of fall Northern Hemisphere. Astronomically, this is the time when the Sun is exactly above the equator. On this day, the Earth is not tilted away or towards the sun, and both the day and night have an equal number of hours.